Shorts



y 1940. H. D. KONSKI 2,200,090

SHORTS Filed Jan. 31. 1939 99 4 INVENTOR I .H'enbefl? llKcnskz/ WITNESSES Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to articles of wearinfl apparel and particularly to undergarments of the type commonly known as shorts.

An object of the invention is to provide an 6 improved construction of shorts which presents an ample body and a belt structure capable of ready adjustment to take care of different size persons without varying the body of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of shorts wherein the belt is provided with overlapping extensions or tabs and disengageable fasteners arranged to coact therewith so that with a minimum number of fastening mem- 16 bars a maximum number of adjustments may be secured.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a pair of shorts a belt structure having an adjustable feature at the back or sides with the 20 formation of the adjustable feature including snap fasteners and a three-ply structure for receiving the same, with an extra ply for covering the inner end of the snap fasteners.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. l is a rear view of a pair of shorts disclosing an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear view of the center of the belt structure and part of the body of the shorts;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 approximately on the line 33;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 approximately on the line 4-4, the same being on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank on a reduced scale showing one of the covering members disclosed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of one of the filling strips shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, I and 2 indicate the legs of the shorts which merge into a body 3 having a seat section 4 wider along the central part than at the ends. The upper end of the seat 4 is much narrower than the central part and is provided with a slot or deep notch 5 so that the belt structure 8 may be constricted or expanded to take care of various size waistlines. Suitable adjusting means have been provided on the belt structure 6, as 50 hereinafter fully described, for permitting the belt structure to be expanded and contracted so as to accommodate persons wearing different size bands.

In the accompanying drawing means have 55 been provided for permitting six adjustments (CL 2-23'l) though the adjusting means could be changed to provide for a less number or even a greater number without departing from the spirit of the invention. In order to take care of this rather wide range of adjustment, the seat 4 is made very full and also the body 3, so that whether the belt is adjusted for a large waistline or a small one there is ample room in the body 3 to take care of the person wearing the garment.

The front portions I and 8 of the belt 6 may be made in any desired way but the rear sections 9 and III are constructed in a special manner, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive. This special structure could be used on the sides of the band if desired though preferably it is in the back as illustrated in Fig. 1. As illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the section 9 is provided with what may be termed a covering strip or sheet ll the blank of which is shown in Fig. 5. From this figure it will be seen that there are provided portions l2 and I3 connected at the folding line l4. The portions l2 and i3 merge into reduced extensions l2 and I3, which when stitched together and also stitched to the extension I5 of a reinforcing strip l6, form the free portion or flap ll. At the juncture of the extension [5 and the body of the section there is provided an elongated buttonhole It for receiving the flap IQ of section III. These flaps and sections are made identical except for the buttonhole 18.

In manufacturing garments which use snap fasteners it is a requirement in the trade to provide three plies for the snap fasteners in order to properly distribute the strain and withstand tearing action. In order to secure this result, the reinforcing strip I6 is provided and is formed with a folded-over section 20 which extends from approximately the point 2| to point 22 of section Ill. The extension l5, however, extends to the end of the extension or free flap II. When the covering strip H is folded along line H and thenplaced in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, there will be presented four plies as readily seen in Fig. 3. The-various studs 23 of the snap fasteners extend through three of these plies while the inner ply l2 acts to protect and cover the inner ends of the snap fasteners so that they will not come in contact with the body of the person wearing the garment. The sockets 24 of the snap fasteners extend through the three plies on the respective extensions l1 and I9, but as they are on the outside of the garment this will make no difference. From Figs. 2 and 3 it will be observed that there have been provided three studs 23 for each of the sections 9 and i0 and only two sockets 2% for each of the extensions iii and is.

The studs 23 are spaced apart twice the dis tance of the spacing of the sockets 25. This penmits six adjustments with two and one-half complete snap fasteners. The adjustment which constricts the belt or band 8 to the greatest extent is secured when the snap fasteners 24' are engaging the outermost studs 23'. The second adjustment would be when the outermost socket 24 is engaging the stud 23'. The third would be when the socket 24 engages the central stud 23, and the fourth adjustment would be when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 3. Two more adjustments for enlarging the band 8 may be made. On each adjustment one of the sockets 24 will engage one of the studs on each side of the notch 5. As the body of the garment is made very full, as illustrated in Fig. 1, these adjustments may be utilized to the fullest extent and without in any way cramping the wearer of the garment.

This structure is not only desirable for the wearer of the garment but it is also very desirable in the eyes of the merchant as it will be necessary for him to maintain a less stock and yet have garments to fit all his customers. In case a customer should wear a 42-inch garment and assuming that the adjustment shown in Fig. 3 was for a perfect 42, the garment may be readily sold to the customer. If the customer were slightly larger or slightly smaller, the same garment could be sold to the customer and by properly adjusting the belt as heretofore described the correct fit of the waistline could be secured and ample room provided for the body of the person.

It will therefore be seen that this construction and arrangement of parts provides a simple and varied adjustment, which will not affect the proper comfort of the garment and, at the same time, means have been provided for covering the snap fasteners on the inside of the garment so that they will never come in contact with the body of the wearer of the garment.

I claim:

1. A garment of the character described inascaoas eluding an adjustabie halt having a pair oi sec" ticna spaced apart, each section having an extension overlapping the opposite section, each section being provided with a U-shaped covering strip and a reinforcement, each of said reinforce ments having a long member and a short member overlying part of the long member to present a double thickness for part of its length, a single thickness of the reinforcement extending into said overlapping extensions, studs of snap fasteners being arranged at spaced intervals so as to extend through the outer ply of said covering strip and the double thickness of said reinforcement, and snap fastener sockets coacting with said studs extending through the three plies of said extensions in position to engage at different times said studs.

2. A pair of shorts having a deep notch ex tending from the top edge downward at the center of the back, a belt structure having a pair of free end portions extending across said deep notch, and snap fasteners for securing the free end portions in different adjusted positions, said belt structure on each side of said notch being formed with a filling strip of textile fabric provided with a long member and a short member overlying part of the long member to make a two-ply structure and a covering strip of textile fabric folded along a longitudinal central line positioned to straddle saidvfilling strip whereby a four-ply structure is presented, one member of said filling strip and both plies of said covering strip having extensions forming a free end portion, one of said free end portions having an opening extending transversely thereof whereby the other end portion may be threaded therethrough, and snap fasteners for adjustably securing the end portions in functioning position, one part of the fasteners extending through the three outer piles of the belt structure at one side of said deep notch and the other part extending through all three plies of the free end portions whereby the inner ply of said covering will cover the inner ends of the snap fasteners and prevent the body of a user contacting therewith.

HERBERT D. KONSKI. 

